Ode to Country Life

So, I have felt the urge to blog my feelings all day... The girls are BOTH sleeping! Hallelujah!

John and I made the decision a week ago to pack up and plant ourselves back in our home in Fridley. We've toyed with this idea for months... and decided to just make the change! I will spare you all the details, but, in a nutshell we felt it would be best that we make this change now to ease our bigger changes that are up the road. Selling the house, is the main reason. Selling it would be very tricky with renters living in our house.

Anyways.

After a few tears as I reminisced the past year and a half of life here I decided to make a list of what I WILL miss from my experience living in the country and near a small town. Here goes.

I will miss...

1. the rolling hills and wide open blue sky's by day. And the moonlit roads and star speckled sky's by night.

2. the sweetest and most sincere neighbors that I think we will ever have.

3. Sadie's Pre-School.

4. Living near the O'Briens and weekly playdates with the sweetest little boy, Micah.

5. My friends at MOPS.

6. The Hunt's and their new babies.

6. the fact that I know all the store clerks, post office, and librarians names and they know mine (in Stewartville).

7. seeing the Amish shop at Hyvee, and Walmart in Rochester. And, visiting the Amish in Harmony, MN.

8. White Water State Park.

9. the cute park in Stewartville and exploring it by bike in the summer and by sled in the winter!

10. walks along the corn field trail.

11. visits to Roberts pig barn.

12. burning our trash. lol.

13. running and flying kites in our 1 acre back yard.

14. tractors of all size and make driving by. (this was always exciting to Sadie!)

15. visits with Walter and Joan and their cats and their awesome garden.

16. VBS at the little Lutheran Church across the street.

17. Camping in our back yard.

18. Sadie's dance class.

19. the Prigge's.

20. tractor rides in Robert's tractor.

21. stray kitties showing up on our deck.

22. several deer in our back yard.

23. spotting a possum under my car!

24. beautiful wild flowers.

25. the old settlers cemetery (it's stunning to see at dusk).

26. the peaceful quiet.

27. the purple park in Grand Meadow.

28. our sad attempt at gardening our first summer here. still makes me giggle to think of our "garden".

29. driving slow to take in the scenery during the summer and fall months.

30. pulling over, so John could "Mooooo" at the cows! And they came running towards us and lined up by the fence.

31. watching the massive wind mills.

32. watching the back side of a RAT run down our basement steps... Robert (our landlord) trapped it for us!

33. over a dozen HORNETS that were accedentally tranfered in their hive into MY KITCHEN!

34. watching storms roll in

35. being pushed by the wind. no kidding!

36. buying stamps from my 'rural mailman'

37. nothing but country on the radio

38. finding a new love for country music.

39. summer trips to the A&W drive in diner

40. the LARGE kitchen and 4 bedrooms! don't know when we'll have these luxuries again.

41. and last and most precious to our family, the arrival of Lauren Faith this August. She is a promise fulfilled!

As I typed this list I went from laughs to tears, to laughs again. What a gift it is to be alive. So many times during my time living out here I wished SO badly that I could move back home. And now as I ponder the memories from this chapter of our life, I see what a gift it was and I will always cherish my time as a country girl.

My prayer for you is that you find true happiness and contentment in God's love for you. Remember to 'take in the scenery' and try not be distracted by "happiness substitutes". This is my new quest...

Love,
Jen